Billy Compton Interview Part I
This post will begin a two or three part interview with Dr. Billy Compton, Kentucky Baptist Convention Executive Associate for Cooperative Program and Resources.
Larry: Billy, Please share with our readers a brief history of your pre-KBC ministry.
Billy: I started pastoring when I was a senior at Hart Memorial High School in Hardyville, KY. I pastored two half-time churches: the Hardyville Union Church and the Antioch Baptist Church. After graduating, I attended Campbellsville University. During those years, I was called to pastor the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Uno, a full-time rural church that ran about 75-100 in worship and in Sunday School. While a student at Southern Seminary, I served the Calvary Baptist Church in Glasgow. After graduating, I became the pastor of the Living Hope Baptist Church in Bowling Green. While serving as pastor at Living Hope, we were involved in planting two churches with the Warren Association helping provide land for the second plant. It was during this time I met Bill Jaggers who was serving as the Director of Church Planting for the KBC. We quickly became friends through our passion for evangelism and missions. Consequently, he invited me to serve on the KBC staff as an Evangelism Associate. I served in that capacity for three years before becoming pastor of First Baptist Church, Mt. Washington, It was during my time at Mt. Washington that I was elected President of the KBC in 1995. In 1996, I was called to become senior pastor of Severns Valley Baptist church in Elizabethtown. I served until January 1, 2008 and provided leadership for the relocation to their new campus. I share all this to let you know of the investment I have been privileged to make through KBC churches and the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Also, I hope this illustrates how the Cooperative Program has made a tremendous impact on me through the churches I served, graduating from KBC-supported Campbellsville University and SBC-supported Southern Seminary and being on the staff of the KBC. Later, when I completed my Doctor of Ministry Degree from Fuller and noted the financial investment compared to the cost at Southern, I became even more appreciative of Cooperative Program support in my life.
Larry: Billy, prior to coming to the KBC as Executive Associate for Cooperative Program and Resources, you were serving one of the most historic and exciting churches in the KBC. You had moved the church to a new campus and the church was poised to continue growth at an accelerated rate and prepared for the anticipated future large growth related to Ft. Knox. What were you thinking?
Billy: Well, it was a God thing. First, I was uniquely prepared for such an assignment based on my ministry experiences. I also had a great passion for the Cooperative Program having witnessed how it had impacted my life during the years of my ministry and how it has literally impacted the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Several years ago, I was asked to chair a KBC Mission Board Committee to study the Cooperative Program in Kentucky. Signs and trends were already appearing that the percentage of giving to CP was trending down. The committee was charged with seeking ways to make CP healthier in Kentucky and to focus on the great ministry and mission causes supported by CP gifts.
One of our key findings was to recommend the establishment of a KBC position to help in leading our state in CP understanding and giving. When Georgetown College was removed from CP funding by mutual agreement of the College and the KBC, it was decided that some of these previously designated funds would be used to finance this new position. It was then that Dr. Bill Mackey, the Executive Director of the KBC, approached me about assuming the position. His conversations with me pointed to my lifelong commitment to the local church, my passion for CP, and my understanding of KBC and SBC polity and function. Obviously, this was a difficult decision for me.
Even though I was sensing God’s will that I should respond to this calling, I needed additional consent from Him. Two facts served as that affirmation: First, Severns Valley Baptist Church, despite the major move to its new site, was in good financial condition; secondly, Severns Valley Baptist Church was able to sell their former campus. Sue Ann and I both understood these facts as being approval of being called to this new position at the KBC and we felt released to serve in this position. Later confirmation came for me when Severns Valley Baptist Church called their new pastor, Bill Langley, with 100% of the vote and the baptism and other Acts 1:8 goals we established were all exceeded.
Next week: Part II Billy Compton interview
2 Comments posted by: Larry Baker on July 8th, 2009
